The Palestine Chronology

Military Action:

IDF has blown up five vehicles suspected of being booby-trapped in past two weeks; Lebanese Army blocks IDF patrol at new checkpoint south of Beirut; IDF Merkava tank hit by RPG fired near Beirut-Damascus highway, Phalange radio attributes attack to Druze militia, says artillery and small arms fire continued for hours; Lebanon reportedly will introduce compulsory military service on April 18.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: David Kimche, head of Israeli delegation to Lebanon negotiations, meets Habib.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: At PNC, 29 new members added to council, of whom 23 are reportedly senior PLO officers loyal to Arafat; Saiqa leader Isam al-Qadi calls for rejection of Reagan plan and struggle to thwart it; smuggling of vegetables from Israel to Lebanon increasing, valued in January at about $300,000; value of Israeli goods sold to Lebanon since invasion estimated at $50 million; in Lebanese-Israeli-US negotiations, Israel agrees to Habib proposal for first-stage withdrawal of frontline forces.

US and Other Countries: Pentagon says it plans to sell Lebanese Army 107 armored troop carriers, .50-caliber machine guns and other equipment valued at about $25 million.

Military Action:

Sharon threatens to withdraw IDF from combat area, leaving Phalangists without IDF support, during secret night visit to Beirut to pressure Lebanese leaders, including President Gemayel, to accept Israeli proposals in negotiations; IDF forming local militias in South, called CAUBI (Civilians Armed and Uniformed by Israel), by pressuring and detaining village leaders until they consent to provide names of youth, according to Habbush village Amal leader Abu Ali Rhumani.

Casualties:

IDF Major with nom de guerre of Abu Tamara, in charge of local militia and civil affairs in South Lebanon, says arms to militia are symbolic act, he emphasizes sewing clubs, auto mechanics courses and soccer fields IDF has set up.

Political Responses:

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO Executive Committee concludes 3 days of meetings in Aden, reaffirms Dec. 5 Aden declaration which attacked US policy but did not specifically reject Reagan plan, but PFLP, DFLP, Saiqa and PSF do not attend; Lebanon negotiations held in Kiryat Shemona make progress on ending hostile propaganda, future liaison between governments, but surveillance posts are not discussed.

Arab Governments: President Mubarak meets with Reagan, says withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon is top priority, that he and Reagan agree that continuing Israeli settlement activity is a serious obstacle to peace.

Military Action:

Druze and Phalange militia exchange fire in Chouf; US Marines on full alert and deploy in firing positions as IDF patrol confronts Marines at checkpoint near Lebanese University; IDF armored car backs into barbed wire fence at another Marine checkpoint; US Embassy expresses concern over incidents to Israeli Government.

Political Responses:

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Following week of meetings in Tripoli, Libya, PFLP, DFLP, PFLP-GC, Saiqa and PSF statement rejecting Fez and Reagan plans and any form of recognition or negotiation with the expansionist Zionist entity, adherence to armed struggle to liberate Palestine and all the occupied Arab territories; Lebanese- Israeli-US negotiators, meeting for 51?2 hours at Khalde, discuss ending state of war and security zone, make enough progress to turn issues over to subcommittee of Antoine Fattal, Eli Rubenstein, Christopher Ross, and form another subcommittee to deal with timetable for withdrawal of troops.

Arab Governments: Egyptian President Mubarak says Arabs must act on Reagan plan by end of year, PLO Chairman should recognize Israel, unilaterally if necessary; Syrian Foreign Minister Khaddam tours Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar; King Hussein returns to Jordan from talks with King Fahd in Saudi Arabia.

US and Other Countries: Habib and Draper will divide responsibilities to accelerate the peace process; State Department refuses to qualify last week's statement suggesting possibility of shortening the autonomy period; US says USSR has sent 90 aircraft, mostly MiG-21s, and 12 SA-5 missiles to Syria, which would be particularly effective against E2-C Hawkeye surveillance aircraft used by Israel in Lebanon war; 2 US soldiers in multinational force in Sinai wounded in mine explosion near Ofira; former Presidents Carter and Ford, in joint article, say that Israeli occupation of West Bank and Gaza is a major obstacle to any moderate Arab initiative for peace in the Middle East, and urge King Hussein to join autonomy talks; West German Foreign Minister Genscher attacks Israeli settlement policy, does not recognize the PLO or support an independent Palestinian state, but supports the June 1980 Venice Declaration that the PLO be involved in the peace process.